Preview: Birmingham & District Premier League XI v Bears

The Bears take their powerful T20 form into a more informal setting when they face a Birmingham Premier League XI at Kenilworth Wardens on Tuesday 31 May (5.30pm).

tomrawlings

2022-05-31T08:39:37.000Z

Bears take their powerful T20 form into a more informal setting when they face a Birmingham Premier League XI at Kenilworth Wardens on Tuesday 31 May (5.30pm).

With three Vitality Blast wins out of three behind them, the Bears will take their entire first-team squad to Kenilworth as part of their T20 roadshow to their fan-bases beyond Birmingham. Later this summer (August 9) they will face a Warwickshire League side at Coventry & North Warwickshire.

Tickets are available on the date at Kenilworth, priced at £5 (card only), while under 16s and Warwickshire CCC Members can attend for free.

Before the match this evening, some of the Bears players will spend the afternoon coaching young cricketers at Glasshouse Park and Bears Director of Cricket Paul Farbrace says all at Edgbaston are really looking forward to a day which will further cement links between the county and league clubs.

"We will be fielding a number of first team and academy players while all the professional staff will be there mixing in on the day," he said. "The players have made a strong start to their Vitality Blast campaign so there is a real buzz about the place and I am sure that will be the case at the game tonight. It will be a smashing occasion.

"Our coaches all watch league cricket when they get chance and this is an opportunity for us to see more of the best players in the local clubs. Hopefully we see more of players who we have previously come across and maybe build some links with some that we haven't."

"Our players are encouraged to play in the leagues which we see as great building grounds for talent. We want to work as closely as possible with the clubs and these games are a good way of doing that.

"Che Simmons is a great example of this. He played for Blossomfield last season after coming to the UK from Barbados and they looked after him brilliantly. He has now gone on to sign a professional contract and they have played a massive part in that. Blossomfield will be a club that he looks back on with huge regard for the help they provided him with.

"Dan Mousley came through from Nether Whitacre to Wardens then Berkswell – he's typical of a lot of our local lads who all have a story to tell about their journey through club cricket.

"It's not just us at Edgbaston who have helped them, there are plenty of people in Warwickshire and Birmingham League clubs that have played a big part and, in some cases, continue to do so by giving good advice."

The Birmingham League has named a strong XI and is set to give the Bears a tough game tonight. Entry to Glasshouse Park is £5 (payable by card only) with Warwickshire Members and under 16s free. Plentiful car parking is available and food and drink outlets will be open.

BDCPL Squad

Neil Pinner (Kidderminster)Ateeq Javid (Berkswell)Jayden Levitt (Bromsgrove)Ali Zaryab (Kenilworth Wardens)Harry Johnson (Kenilworth Wardens)Ollie Currill (Leamington)Phil Harris (Barnards Green)Amrinder Brar (Barnt Green)Gurinder Singh (Smethwick)Jordan Bulpitt (Walsall)Yasir Ali (Smethwick)Tommy Rex (Kenilworth Wardens)